Machine for forming seamless tubes



(No Model.) I

- y E. W.GLA11K. MACHINE FOR FORMING SEAMLESS TUBES.

/zi/ v UNITED STATES EDRED W. ci.

ARK, or HARTFORD, ooN

PATENT OFFICE.

NECTICUT. Y

MACHINE FOR FoRMlNe ysEAMLEss TUBES.

SPECIFICATION 'forming part of Letters Patent No. 454,030, dated June 16, 1891. Application filed October 20, 1890. Serial No. 368,639. (No model.)

To all whom zit may concern..- A Beit known that I, EDRED W'. CLARK, a citif the United States, residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and usefulv Improvements in Machines for Forming Seamless Tubes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

The inventionlrelates to the class of machines forforming'seamless- `tubesiot indefi`'A material.

To this end chine which.

in a mamaterial the invention resides transforms 'fibrous beaten into a pulpy, pastry, or semi-liquid -a light seamless tube with the fibers so intertwined and laced as to produce a firm, strong, homogeneous texture throughout the enti-re length of the tube.

Referring to the accompanying dra\\ings, Figure. l is a plan view of the machine. Fig. part cut in central Fig. '3 is a View of the front end of the machine.

In the views, the letter a indicates the base, which is preferably cast to shape. of Viron or steel. In a box b upon the upper surface of the base is formed a bearing for a spindle c, which is adapted to be rot-ated in the bearing ,llby a pulley andbelt ortany confinon for-m of riving-gears. To the front end of this spindle, which is supported by the box I1 adjacent to the box b, is secured a 'mandrel IZ. This mandrel, which is usually formed integral with the spindle, is tapering for a portion of its length, and is provided with a thread of any suitable form and pitch, a portion of this thread' being preferably formed upon `a parallelfpart of the mandrel which lies beneath an 'obpening b2 cut through the top of the A die or shell c 'is secured, preferably by `means of bolts, which pass through flanges upon the parts, tothe front end of the box b around the mandrel. Theopening through the die tapers for a portion of its length substantially parallel with the tapering body portion of the mandrel, and is substantially parallel near the front end, where it encircles the substantially parallel smaller end of the mandrel. The threads at the slnallerend of the tapering portion of the mandrel are made `gradually smaller, so that they will not fill up the space in the opening in the die, along which for a short distance small longitu'dinal grooves fare cut, and to which a number vof"'transvers .l peiifrationsfg-from vthe exterior are bored to permit the escape ofthe liquid' expressed from the substance under compression to form the tube. l

The fibrous material, as paper, asbestos, or any similar fibrous substance, mixed with any suitable sizing or binding material from which the tube is to be formed, is beaten up with a liquid into a pulpy, pasty, or semi- !iquid condition and conducted by any suitable means, as a funnel, tube, or pipe, through the opening Wto the revolving mandrel. 'lhe thread upon the mandrel carries the materialV along spirally down the tapering portion of the die, creases in size, compresses the material and reduces it in. diameter, the Water and moisture expressed by the compression escaping through the perforations provided for that purpose. \Vhen the forward end of the tube being formed reaches the reducedportiou ot' the mandrel and opening in the die, it has become compressed and hardened to the desired degree, airtlis preferably prevented l rom rotaI` tion by the expansion of a portion of its surface into the grooves, while the rear end, which is in a spongy and sott condition, 41s being added to b v the soft pulp which comes down the incline. of the mandrel. .As the fibrous material is brought down the mandrel and reduced in diameter by the rotation of the thread it is laid or built onto the end of the tube sprally, so as to cause the fibers to interlace and form a firm structure.

Fibrous matter is of such nature that the fibers will not interlace and form a firm texture by simply reducing the diameter of tho mass and adding to the end soft matter by direct compression, .and the essential feature 'of my process is the continuous building up of the tube by fibers under a rotary strain as which, as the opening de- IOS) forward compression, fibersV tov intertr'ine and strong tube of produced, which, w 5 non-conducting like, can be use or the the tubes ot varying sha The 15 upon the taper more homogene the threads com the shell, as

lion 0f the compresse dry when they r 2o nearly the mandrel the entire jleng.,Y y fibers' are, pressed be 2 5 separa te the spira qu ar extend th of the taperin tween the t ls thus and lace, indefinite le hen formed o fibrous mate d for apparatus.

e or any pes without substantially modifying the machine or changing,r the recess which is my invention. i

ly greatly reducing the size ot the thread ing portion ot the mandrel a 'ons mass resu pletely lill the thr d mass of fiber each the tapering,r por-v eads do not cut in s, which are very the reduced pori tion ot the mandrel. lVhcn the threads of to the walls of the shell g portion, the hreads which formed which causes the whereby a light rial, as asbestus insulating wires of' the mandrel otherl desirl ble he interior of lts than where th can be f electrical and these spirals after together and I claim as m l. In a machine for forming seai a base, a die with a tapering o and a rotary man tially the same as to the base,

er substan d bythe tap porte 1 taper from the la mandrel, sub

2. In ainac a base, a die with a tapering op and a rotary m and projecting.

the said des from t to the base, by tl open ie base ing in the die, a thread which rece tapering opening in the die as i to the smaller tially as spe EDR the larger drel, substan WM. II. HANni ill not adhere s or firm tube.

thus compressed w form a homogeneou y invention nless tubes,

l 3o drel having a the die, supting into the base and projec said mandrel ing opening in the die, the bearing a thread which decreases rger to' the small stantially as sp hine for formi amless tubes, @ning secured el supported into the tapering mandrel bearing he walls of the t passes from 

